Memorial of Saint Ignatius of Loyola, Priest

Holy is the Lord our God. Moses and Aaron were among his priests, and Samuel, among those who called upon his name; they called upon the LORD, and he answered them.

It is important for us to call upon the Lord. Just as we talk to our loved ones, be they family or friends, so too, we should talk to God. We should seek to make Him a part of our daily lives. He should be the center of everything we think, say, and do. We should strive to accomplish His Will just as Jesus did in his life. If we do all these things, then God will provide what we need. He will give us every grace and blessing.

How often do we call on the Lord? Are we willing to let go and allow God to lead us where we need to be? How can we become good and faithful servants to Him in all things?

O Lord, we call upon you and you answer us.

Amen.

Seventeenth Tuesday of Ordinary Time

The Lord is kind and merciful. Not according to our sins does he deal with us, nor does he requite us according to our crimes. For as the heavens are high above the earth, so surpassing is his kindness toward those who fear him.

Thank goodness God doesn’t deal with us according to our sins or requite us according to our crimes. If He did, we would all be destined to destruction. We are infinitely blessed to have such a kind and merciful God as our Heavenly Father, who not only gave us His Beloved Son, but also His Holy Spirit. He has provided us commandments to protect us, teachings to guide us, and inspirations to sanctify us. He is always ready to help those who fear disappointing Him. He will never abandon us as long as we seek Him out in our daily lives and strive to be good and faithful servants. Yes, we might stumble along the Way, we might forget the Truth, and we might lose sight of the Life we are called to live, but He will be there every step of the way to lead us back to where we are supposed to be as Christians.

Are we as kind and merciful as God is to us? How can we become more compassionate? What can we do to promote the compassion of others?

O Lord, help us to imitate your kindness and mercy.

Amen.

Memorial of Saint Martha

Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good. They forgot the God who had saved them, who had done great deeds in Egypt, Wondrous deeds in the land of Ham, terrible things at the Red Sea.

We can be a bit forgetful when it comes to all the things God has done for us. Like the Israelites, we can become lost in worldly things or feel abandoned by God. We can seek out false idols in our lives and while we might not think we are worshiping them, we can give them far more time, talents, and treasures than we give to God. However, it is far better for us to not become lost in the desert of sin, especially mortal sins like idolatry. Better for us to seek God and find Him, then to complain against Him when things don’t go our way. Better for us if we put our energies to use knowing, loving, and serving God and others, then to waste them in the fires of our own selfishness. 

Do we forget God in our daily lives? How can we rid ourselves of the idols of distraction and sin that surround us? What can we do to become more perfect followers of our Heavenly Father?

O Lord, never let us forget you.

Amen.

Seventeenth Sunday in Ordinary Time

You were buried with him in baptism, in which you were also raised with him through faith in the power of God, who raised him from the dead.  And even when you were dead in transgressions and the uncircumcision of your flesh, he brought you to life along with him, having forgiven us all our transgressions; obliterating the bond against us, with its legal claims, which was opposed to us, he also removed it from our midst, nailing it to the cross.

It is through our baptism that we share in the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. We share in his death through our own weaknesses and sins, which he took upon himself and cleanses from us through the cross. We also share in his new life through our faith in him, the sacraments of His Holy Church, and through our choices to live in imitation of him. His love and forgiveness offer us a model to follow and a yoke to embrace. So, let us carry our crosses without complaint or hesitation and seek to know, love, and serve God and His children in all things.

How often do we renew our baptismal promises? What can we do to keep our calling to be Christ-like at the forefront of our minds? How can we help others to rise from the death of sin and be resurrected into a new life?

O Lord, destroy the chains of sin and raise us to new lives in you.

Amen.

Sixteenth Saturday of Ordinary Time

Offer to God a sacrifice of praise. “Why do you recite my statutes, and profess my covenant with your mouth Though you hate discipline and cast my words behind you?”

Sometimes we fail to offer God a sacrifice of praise. This happens when selfishness enters into our thoughts, words, and works. We might do the “right” thing, but for the wrong reasons. Our just and merciful actions might be tainted by self-righteousness and unforgiveness. We might put on a mask of goodness, but without addressing the evil within our hearts. We talk a good game about being followers of Christ, but in truth we fail to follow through on our talk and make it our reality, too. However, with God’s Grace all things are possible… even changing our fake praise and “good” works with the real things. We just have to let go of our selfish desires and grudges and let God step into these areas and purify them and make them holy.

Why are we selfish, self-righteous, and unforgiving? How can we rid ourselves of these things and become more faithful to the New Covenant? In what ways can we be more faithful in our praising of God?

O Lord, make us into truly just and merciful people, who praise you in through, word, and work.

Amen.

Memorial of Saints Joachim and Anne, Parents of the Blessed Virgin Mary

Lord, you have the words of everlasting life. The fear of the LORD is pure, enduring forever; The ordinances of the LORD are true, all of them just.

God gave us the ten commandments and the Golden Rule to help us grow in holiness and prepare us for everlasting life. He did not give them to us to burden us nor did He force them on us. It is up to us to accept them and live them out to the best of our abilities. Fear of breaking these commandments or losing our way is good for us. It keeps us away from evils and temptations and leads us toward the light. All of these commandments are true and just and will help us to become better people. They are rules we should be happy are engraved in our hearts and ones we should carry with shouts of joy and thanksgiving because if we follow them faithfully, then we will find our way to the Heavenly Banquet.

Do we actively listen to and act according to the Word of God? Do we have a proper fear of disappointing God by breaking one of His commandments? How can we lead lives that are holy, true, and just?

O Lord, help us to live your words and attain everlasting life with you.

Amen.

Feast of Saint James, Apostle

Those who sow in tears shall reap rejoicing. When the LORD brought back the captives of Zion, we were like men dreaming. Then our mouth was filled with laughter, and our tongue with rejoicing. 

We often do everything possible to avoid shedding tears in this life. We steer clear of trouble whenever possible. We don’t rock the boat. We try to coast through life with the minimum of pain. However, sometimes we are called to make sacrifices so we can reap the rewards. There are moments in our lives when we are faced with a choice between doing with is right and suffering the consequences or choosing to remain silent and let an injustice go unchallenged. Sometimes these moments are easy to recognize. Other are more difficult, but they do occur and we should pray to be open to the guidance of the Holy Spirit when those moments arise. If we do this, then one day we shall stand before God and be filled with laughter and joy because we will discover all those moments of sorrow yielded marvelous fruits.

What is God asking us to sow in our lives? How can we grow in a willingness to suffer for the glory of God and the good of others? What can we do to become more aware of the opportunities to bear good fruit in our lives?

O Lord, help us to sow in tears and reap with rejoicing.

Amen.

Sixteenth Wednesday of Ordinary Time

The Lord gave them bread from heaven. They tempted God in their hearts by demanding the food they craved. Yes, they spoke against God, saying, “Can God spread a table in the desert?”

Nothing is impossible for God. No matter how dire our situation might seem, He always will be able to save us, if we let Him. There are many who complain that God doesn’t do enough for them or asks too much of them. However, when we consider what God has given us, we should have no other response, but “What is your will, O Lord?” God has given everyone the Bread of Life through Jesus Christ and no matter what temptations might come that try to convince us God owes us anything else, He doesn’t. Everything He provides us is a gift and we should appreciate and respect that truth. And we do this best by loving God with all our minds, hearts, souls, and strengths and trusting He will lead us through the desert of this life and into the Promised Land of the next.

When we are going through a spiritual dry spell, do we seek out the nourishment of the Blessed Sacrament? How can we avoid becoming complainers and instead trust in God’s Divine Plan? How often do we stop and ask God what He wants us to think, say, or do?

O Lord, thank you for the Bread of Life.

Amen.

Sixteenth Tuesday of Ordinary Time

Let us sing to the Lord; he has covered himself in glory. At the breath of your anger the waters piled up, the flowing waters stood like a mound, the flood waters congealed in the midst of the sea. The enemy boasted, “I will pursue and overtake them; I will divide the spoils and have my fill of them; I will draw my sword; my hand shall despoil them!” 

God does not do what He does just to cover Himself in glory. He performs miracles like the deliverance of the Israelites from slavery and the parting of the Red Sea because He is compassionate. He doesn’t strike down His enemies out of malice, but because they leave Him no choice. He does what is best for us as individuals and as His Chosen People. He shows us His power and might, not to impress us, but to impress upon us His Love and Mercy. Everything He does is to give us a model of thinking, speaking, and acting that will allow us to be the best reflections of His Divine Image that we can be. And if we trust in His Plan, then our enemies will never overtake us. Instead, they will be divided from us by a great chasm that cannot be crossed and despoiled in the abyss of Hell. So, let us have faith in God no matter what trials face us and allow Him to lead us to the Promised Land.

Do we recognize how compassionate God is toward us? Are we as compassionate with others? How can we model our lives on the example of our Heavenly Father, His Beloved Son, and the Holy Spirit?

O Lord, your compassion for us shall never be forgotten.

Amen.

Feast of Saint Mary Magdalene

Let us sing to the Lord; he has covered himself in glory. I will sing to the LORD, for he is gloriously triumphant; horse and chariot he has cast into the sea. My strength and my courage is the LORD, and he has been my savior. He is my God, I praise him; the God of my father, I extol him.

God doesn’t need us to give Him glory. He already is glorious beyond anything we can add. However, the glory we give to God is entirely for our benefit as it reminds us who our lives should be dedicated to. We sing God’s praises, not because He needs them, but because they put us in the right state of mind to know, love, and serve Him with all our hearts, souls, minds, and strengths. God is and always will be triumphant over evil. He doesn’t need us to win the day, but when our virtues triumph over our vices, He is glad for us. He is our strength and courage when we ask for them. He is our salvation when we need it most. He is our God and Father and will always be with us and that is why we extol Him.

In what ways can we give glory to God and praise Him? Do we depend upon Him for our strength and courage? How can we thank Him for being such a good and loving savior?

O Lord, we sing to you and pray that you will help us to be triumphant over all evil.

Amen.

Sixteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time

Now I rejoice in my sufferings for your sake, and in my flesh I am filling up what is lacking in the afflictions of Christ on behalf of his body, which is the church, of which I am a minister in accordance with God’s stewardship given to me to bring to completion for you the word of God, the mystery hidden from ages and from generations past.

We are all called to imitate Christ, not only in the way he lived, but also in the way he suffered for us. If God sees fit to try us greatly in this life, then who are we to complain? Whatever afflictions come our way; we should march joyfully toward them. Many martyrs died praising God with their final breaths. Who are we to think we should escape such trials? We are all asked to fill up what is lacking in the afflictions of Christ. Not that Jesus’ passion and death were not perfect, but that we are all called to pick up our crosses and to unite our sufferings with those of Christ. And God, in His Infinite Mercy allows us to add our drop of blood to the sea of sorrows that Jesus suffered for us.

What is God calling us to suffer? How can we accept this suffering with joyful hearts? What are we being asked to sacrifice in order to bring to completion the Word of God?

O Lord, we rejoice in our sufferings for your sake and the sake of your children.

Amen.

Fifteenth Saturday of Ordinary Time

His mercy endures forever. Who smote the Egyptians in their first-born, for his mercy endures forever; And brought out Israel from their midst, for his mercy endures forever; With a mighty hand and an outstretched arm, for his mercy endures forever.

God wants us to be free. He offers to break the chains of slavery to sin so we might have new lives in and with Him. He wants us to accept this gift of liberty and use it to make the right choices. He provides us everything we need for the journey through this life. He gives us grace to sustain us, hope to nourish us, and faith to guide us. He gives us His Love and Mercy so we might follow in the footsteps of His Beloved Son and be lights to the world. He wants us to choose the freedom of serving Him with all our hearts, souls, minds, and strengths. It is up to each of us to accept this offering and use it to bring ourselves and others closer to the Promised Land.

What people, places, and things are enslaving us in this life? What is God offering us to help us get escape these evils? When we are freed from our sins, how can we avoid falling back into slavery and instead go forth into the Promised Land?

O Lord, bring us out of our slavery to new life in and with you.

Amen.

Fifteenth Friday of Ordinary Time

I will take the cup of salvation, and call on the name of the Lord. To you will I offer sacrifice of thanksgiving, and I will call upon the name of the LORD. My vows to the LORD I will pay in the presence of all his people.

We are all asked by God to make sacrifices. Some are asked to suffer and work harder than others. Some are tried greatly. Others are tried lightly. Each is tried and tested according to their abilities and what God needs from them as followers. He never gives us more than we can handle. He always is with us and provides us the graces to overcome every obstacle. All we have to do is trust in Him, to call on Him in our times of need, and do His Will with all our hearts, souls, minds, and strengths.

What sacrifices is God asking of us? Are we willing to make them? How can we pay what we owe God in terms of love, loyalty, and trust?

O Lord, we offer you sacrifices of thanksgiving for all you’ve done for us.

Amen.

Fifteenth Thursday of Ordinary Time

The Lord remembers his covenant forever. He remembers forever his covenant which he made binding for a thousand generations—Which he entered into with Abraham and by his oath to Isaac. 

God’s covenant is not only with Abraham or Isaac. It is not only with the Apostles. It is with all his followers. It is with all who are willing to pick up the light burden of the cross and carry it where God wills us to go. It is with all those who choose to rest in God through prayer. It is with us if we keep His commandments to know, love, and serve Him and treat our neighbors as He treats them... with charity and mercy. If we do good and avoid evil and live lives that proclaim the Good News, then when we pass from this earth, we will have a place in Heaven and a share in salvation.

Do we remember the covenant God has with us? Do we keep it in mind when we are tempted to sin? How can we be faithful to the covenant like our Heavenly Father is faithful to us?

O Lord, we are bound to the New Covenant, remind us of this as often as we forget it.

Amen.

Fifteenth Wednesday of Ordinary Time

The Lord is kind and merciful. The LORD secures justice and the rights of all the oppressed. He has made known his ways to Moses, and his deeds to the children of Israel.

God has made known His Ways to us. He has shown us His Divine Love and Mercy through His deeds. The Incarnation united Him with us in body and blood. His hidden life with Mary illustrated how to be humble and obedient. His ministry revealed what it means to be forgiving, compassionate, and charitable to all, even our enemies. His Passion and Death were choices Jesus made to reveal what it truly means to give your life for others. His Resurrection and the Gift of the Holy Spirit reminds us to hold onto hope no matter what and gives us the strength to go out into the world and proclaim the Good News.

Do we follow the ways of God? Do we imitate his good deeds? How can we be as kind and merciful as He is to us?

O Lord, help us to follow your ways.

Amen.

Fifteenth Tuesday of Ordinary Time

Turn to the Lord in your need, and you will live. I am sunk in the abysmal swamp where there is no foothold; I have reached the watery depths; the flood overwhelms me.

There are times in our lives when we feel helpless. We feel like we are sinking into an abyss and have no way to escape. We feel overwhelmed and lost. However, if we turn to the Lord in these times of trial, then He will help us. He will give us what we need to overcome our difficulties and triumph. He will help us to make it through the dark night to the dawn of hope. He will provide us with grace and goods that will nourish and support us. He will help us to live fruitful and meaningful lives.

Are there areas of our lives where we are sinking or in danger of sinking into darkness? What can we do to bring God into these areas to help us escape? How do we show our gratitude for all God has done to provide for our needs?

O Lord, we turn to you in our times of need.

Amen.

Memorial of Saint Bonaventure, Bishop and Doctor of the Church

Our help is in the name of the Lord. Then would the waters have overwhelmed us; The torrent would have swept over us; over us then would have swept the raging waters. Blessed be the LORD, who did not leave us a prey to their teeth. 

God will never leave us to be destroyed by those who hate us. We might suffer setbacks and trials, but in the end, God will help us to overcome our enemies. He will free us from their hold and lead us to the Promised Land. He will part the turbulent waters that stand in our way and make a path for us to the other side. And if we trust Him, then we shall march through the sea confident in Him, while our foes are washed away. We might wander through the desert for a time, but in the end the Spirit of God will guide us to the land of milk and honey, the land of our salvation.

Do we call on God to help us in our times of need? Or do we forget all He has done for us and try to fix everything ourselves? How can we become more trusting of God in our daily lives?

O Lord, thank you for all your help.

Amen.

Fifteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time

Christ Jesus is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation. For in him were created all things in heaven and on earth, the visible and the invisible, whether thrones or dominions or principalities or powers; all things were created through him and for him.

We were all created through and for Jesus. We were created through Him because He is the Word of God made flesh and it was from his mouth that we came into being as a race and as individuals. Each and every one of us is a member of His Spiritual Body. And we all have an important role to play in salvation. Some of us are called to be the mind of the Church, others its heart, still others its hands. Some are called to be eyes, others ears, and a few of us are called to be the mouths of God. We are also created for Jesus because all of us are asked by God to think, speak, and do all things for Him. Our time, talents, and treasures are supposed to be put to His Good Use, not ours. When we are united to God in this way, we become manifestations of Him, reflecting His Divine Image for all the world to see and glorify.

How do we embody the image of God? What can we do to be better images of Jesus Christ? What is God calling us to be as part of His Spiritual Body?

O Lord, may your image always be reflected in us.

Amen.

Fourteenth Saturday of Ordinary Time

Be glad you lowly ones; may your hearts be glad! You descendants of Abraham, his servants, sons of Jacob, his chosen ones! He, the LORD, is our God; throughout the earth his judgments prevail.

The world tells us being lowly is to be a failure. It tells us being meek and humble is to be forgotten. It tells us choosing service to God over service to self is enslavement. However, nothing can lead us to triumph faster than to yield our wills to God. Nothing can lead to spiritual success more rewarding than to make ourselves into good and faithful servants to God. Nothing can make us happier than to become the trusting children of God.

Are we lowly, meek, and humble? How can we become faithful servants to God? What can we do to depend more perfectly on our Heavenly Father?

O Lord, help us to be lowly and glad.

Amen.

Fourteenth Friday of Ordinary Time

The salvation of the just comes from the Lord. The LORD watches over the lives of the wholehearted; their inheritance lasts forever. They are not put to shame in an evil time; in days of famine they have plenty. 

Being wholehearted means offering everything to God. It means not holding anything back. It means giving all we have to God. It means making our lives into living sacrifices. It means handing over our minds, hearts, souls, and bodies to God to do with as He wills. It means loving God and His children with all we are. If we do this, then we will inherit the Kingdom of God. We will not be put to shame. We will have plenty all the days of our lives.

Are we wholeheartedly God’s people? If not, then how can we become more God’s and less our own? What can we do to make clear to God and others that we are Christians?

O Lord, we are wholeheartedly yours.

Amen.

Memorial of Saint Benedict, Abbot

Remember the marvels the Lord has done. They had weighed him down with fetters, and he was bound with chains, Till his prediction came to pass and the word of the LORD proved him true.

Even in our troubles, God remains faithful to us. We might suffer for a time, short or long, but always God will deliver us from our difficulties. If we are besieged by temptations, He will protect us from evil. If we are imprisoned by sin, He will offer us the freedom of forgiveness. If we are suffering in some way, He will heal us. If we are blind, He will help us to see. If we are lost, He will help us find our way. If we are falsely accused, He will be our Advocate. If we are mocked or persecuted, He will defend us. We might not always know why we have to pass through dark nights or imprisonments, but God is good and He will release us and help us to prosper in spirit and truth. We just need to remember God does marvelous things for all his good and faithful servants.

Are we weighed down by any worldly fetters or chained by imperfections and sin? Do we ask for God’s aid in freeing us? Do we remember even in our worst moments that God wants to do marvelous things for us?

O Lord, release us from our fetters and chains and help us remember your marvelous deeds.

Amen.

Fourteenth Wednesday of Ordinary Time

Lord, let your mercy be on us, as we place our trust in you. The LORD brings to naught the plans of nations; he foils the designs of peoples. But the plan of the LORD stands forever; the design of his heart, through all generations.

Divine Providence is something we cannot fight against. It brings low the best laid plans. It reminds us we are dependent on God and not in complete control of our lives. This is a good thing because all too often we want what is worst for us. We lose sight of what is good and holy in favor of what is evil and easy. We let our temptations lead us into sin and enslave ourselves to the world in various ways. However, God’s Divine Plan is one of true freedom. The type of liberty that leads us to become generous and loving people. People might say God forces us along His Way, but we still have the choice to accept His direction for our lives or fight against it. If we fight against it, we lose opportunities to be good and faithful servants. If we choose to accept God’s Will, then we will grow in holiness and bear abundant fruits. So, let us place our trust in God’s Divine Plan and decide to follow God where He wants us to go.

Do we struggle against God’s Plan for us? How can we become more faithful to the Way, the Truth, and the Life God is leading us toward? What can we do to design our lives in accordance with God’s Will?

O Lord, we place our trust in you.

Amen.

Fourteenth Tuesday of Ordinary Time

In justice, I shall behold your face, O Lord. Hear, O LORD, a just suit; attend to my outcry; hearken to my prayer from lips without deceit.

When we are suffering, God is listening. He is watching over us even in our times of trials. He will not abandon us, but He will not always answer us in the way we seek. He may indeed save us from our trials and tribulations, but if He chooses not to do so, we have no reason to be angry with Him. He is just and merciful, but He also will not hand us life on a silver platter. He will not solve all of our problems. He wants us to learn and grow in our own unique ways. He wants us to discover our unique callings and not force them on us. He hears our outcries, but we should remember that He might not answer us at the time or in the way we expect. Instead, He will help us in ways that will offer us a chance to grow in faith, hope, and love. Let us pray we take these opportunities and accept their challenges so one day Our Heavenly Father might say, “Well done, my good and faithful servants.”

How do we suffer? Do we complain and get angry and get even? Or do we offer everything up to God and accept the sacrifices asked of us without hesitation or moaning?

O Lord, attend to my outcries how you deem best.

Amen.

Fourteenth Monday of Ordinary Time

In you, my God, I place my trust. You who dwell in the shelter of the Most High, who abide in the shadow of the Almighty, Say to the LORD, “My refuge and my fortress, my God, in whom I trust.”

Our relationships with others are founded on trust and it is no different when it comes to God. The only difference is we either trust Him completely or we don’t trust in Him at all. We either depend on Him or on ourselves. We follow His Way, Truth, and Life or we make our own. We shelter in His Good Graces or we seek worldly security. We rest in His Arms or we take comfort in earthly pleasures. We have a deep and loving relationship with God or we have a shallow and selfish one (or no relationships at all).

What is our relationship with God like? Is it important to us and central to the way we live? How can we root ourselves more firmly as a child of God and heir to His Kingdom?

O Lord, we place our trust in you.

Amen.

Fourteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time

May I never boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, through which the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world. For neither does circumcision mean anything, nor does uncircumcision, but only a new creation. Peace and mercy be to all who follow this rule and to the Israel of God.

The world teaches us to boast of what we have and what we have done. It tells us we should trumpet our own horns and let everyone else know how great we are. This is not what God wants. He wants us to boast of Him. He wants us to boast of His Goodness and Mercy. He wants us to boast of the cross He bore for us and the crosses we bear for Him. He wants us to humble ourselves through lives of sacrifice and love. He wants us to bring peace and mercy to all whom we meet, just as Jesus did in his own life.

Do we boast more of worldly things or Godly ones? What can we do to rid ourselves of our dependence upon the opinions of others and instead focus our lives on doing our Heavenly Father’s business? How can we humble ourselves so we can follow God’s commandments without feeling holier than others?

O Lord, we boast only of you and your cross.

Amen.

Thirteenth Saturday of Ordinary Time

Praise the Lord for the Lord is good! Praise the name of the LORD; Praise, you servants of the LORD Who stand in the house of the LORD, in the courts of the house of our God.

God has chosen us to be His children. He has given us life through the Heavenly Father. He has given us His Love and Mercy through the Sacred Heart of Jesus. He has given us inspiration and guidance through the Holy Spirit. The promises He has made to us through the Word Made Flesh and the Good News cannot be taken back. The gifts He has given cannot be withdrawn. We can reject them through our own choice, but God is always with us offering us the best way to live fruitful, good, and eternal lives. All we have to do is accept the light yoke of becoming servants to Him and take up our place in His Heavenly Home.

What work is God calling us to do? Are we willing to put aside our own wants and dreams and become servants of the Lord? How can we let go of our desire to be masters of our own destinies and instead let God guide us?

O Lord, we praise you for you are good.

Amen.

Thirteenth Friday of Ordinary Time

Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good. Blessed are they who observe what is right, who do always what is just. Remember us, O LORD, as you favor your people. 

Just as Jesus became strong and filled with wisdom, and the favor of God was upon Him, so we are called to grow stronger in faith and wisdom so God can favor us. Our Heavenly Father wants each and every one of us to be good as He is Good. He wants to bless us and help us to observe and do what is right. He wants us to be just and merciful as He is Justice and Mercy. He wants to bless us and fill us with grace and give us every chance to become holy disciples. When we consider all He has done for us, we should be more than willing to give Him thanks and to bear His Good News to the ends of the earth.

Do we observe what is right? Are we just in the way we treat others? How can we be good as our Heavenly Father is Good?

O Lord, remember and favor us as we strive to do what is right and just.

Amen.

Thirteenth Thursday of Ordinary Time

I will walk in the presence of the Lord, in the land of the living. Our God is in heaven; whatever he wills, he does. Their idols are silver and gold, the handiwork of men.

The world will often taunt us, “Where is your God?” The worldly will mock and persecute us and call us fools for trusting in a God we cannot see. They will trust in their gods of wealth, fame, success, and pleasure and wonder why we could be so blind as to follow a ghost. However, if we are able to resist their onslaught of ignorance and attacks of malice, we will walk in God’s Presence through our darkest of hours and soon see the light on the other side. Their idols might offer them moments of self-gratification, but they will ultimately leave them empty with no lasting fruits. Our God on the other hand will see us through suffering and persecution to an eternal life that is blessed beyond imagination. So, when we are asked by the world, “Where is your God?” We can say, “He is with us and we are with Him.”

Do we resist the temptation to rely on ourselves or worldly things more than God? How can we be more mindful of God’s Divine Presence in our lives? What can we do to walk more perfectly in the Presence of the Lord?

O Lord, we are with you.

Amen.

Feast of Saint Thomas, Apostle

Through him the whole structure is held together and grows into a temple sacred in the Lord; in him you also are being built together into a dwelling place of God in the Spirit.

Jesus Christ holds us together as Christians and human beings. He is what binds us to be loving and respectful to one another no matter the differences between us. He showed us time after time how he has called all men and women to become his disciples. He reminds us again and again that each of us has a role to play in God’s Divine Plan. We are not all the same, but we do fit together when we choose to be a part of His Spiritual Body, the Church. It is through the teachings and traditions of the Church that we are bound together into a dwelling place of God in the Spirit, each in his or her own unique way. So, let us each allow ourselves to be placed where we are needed in the Church so it might be a strong, holy, and united family.

What role is God calling me to take up in His Holy Church? How can we fulfill this vocation with all our hearts, souls, minds, and strengths? How can we help others to fit into the Body of Christ, too?

O Lord, build us into a living and united temple sacred to you.

Amen.

Thirteenth Tuesday of Ordinary Time

O Lord, your mercy is before my eyes. Search me, O LORD, and try me; test my soul and my heart. For your mercy is before my eyes, and I walk in your truth.

Not many of us call out for God to search and try us. There is a part of us that would prefer not to be tested. We would rather avoid trials of our faith, hope, or love. We would prefer to steer clear of the sufferings that come along with such ordeals. However, as Christians we cannot shy away from the sacrifices our faith requires of us. We might not want to suffer, but we accept sometimes we must be willing to go through some pain for the glory of God or the good of others. We are able to make such a submission to God’s Will because He has given us an example of selflessness in Jesus. He has also provided us an Advocate in the Holy Spirit who helps us to walk in the truth no matter what might stand in our way.

What do we think God sees in us when He searches our hearts and tests our souls? Will He find goodness, love, and holy righteousness? If He finds weaknesses, then what can we do to overcome our faults and become stronger Christians?

O Lord, search and test us so we might walk in your truth.

Amen.

Thirteenth Monday of Ordinary Time

The Lord is kind and merciful. Merciful and gracious is the LORD, slow to anger and abounding in kindness. He will not always chide, nor does he keep his wrath forever.

God is kind. He cares for each and every human being and has sacrificed His Beloved Son to prove His Love to us. He is merciful because even though we take Him for granted, ignore Him, turn our backs on His teachings, choose worldly things over Him, and fail Him in countless ways... He still is willing to forgive us. Even though we are sinners, He still shows us compassion in our own times of trial and difficulty. He is much slower to anger than any of us and much more forgiving. He knows we are weak and fallen, but He gives us the grace to be strong and rise up again. If we do make Him angry, but confess our sins with contrite hearts and do penance, then He will let go of His anger and let us back into His Good Graces. We should feel blessed to have such a merciful and kind God and strive to imitate Him whenever we can.

Are we kind? Are we merciful? How can we become better imitators of God’s gracious goodness?

O Lord, make us kind and merciful as you are kind and merciful.

Amen.